![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgv7mOIQOa6AcPb6HkMclJqrEjQfDG6lRSVO0L_w7RT6dpl_P7gdqjeQLmknbkQGtXdBu5v3D1GOGwCNS-w5qnIlAh0LVIJy3Cnb9JwFDiXhONh-O3B7xqF6z81WVQrpBp-A-p-4g9CW-/s400/DSC_0015.jpg) |
We had an above par summer start with a trip to the Masters |
For a variety of reasons I
call the past few months the “summer from hell”. We had a parade of trials and
tribulations, but I dare not complain too much because folks about 6 hours to
the east of us are still under water thanks to a cantankerous gal named
Florence.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQtw9L3IZ_1JgHdIE5uw97wDfc3910TAtM1VlpoBSSGscBc7wQ_v5Lgj1hwzelCGOFyN2jZPvFiFUM72TzgtsdsENviR1fdMxcojn1U2uObEPw42qPIvgKnLtVgLXJOlwTLgxquIG8vO4/s200/IMG_0750.jpg) |
This shrub went from vigorous to dead in two months |
Having said that, I do want to mention that by mid-August, we’d had over 100 inches of rain here in the
mountains. No wonder so many of my plants (including roses) rotted. The few
healthy blooms were snarfed down by a groundhog. (The brat even came up on the porch and ate the blooms off plants I had yet to put in the ground.) At one point I was tempted to
throw in the trowel. That has never happened before in all my gardening years.
So dear reader, here are a few examples of the
good, the bad and the ugly.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTZnW3XkC_Yd2T7ES1y1-zFLSK3zNnw4dRQRKXcGPFXxmv_BU7yCpPHSgmo89eXx6HCLb8IS3TCAag6R1haq6xUH_23wEjPJNvkKd8NX_qwzdi-lsaOZxSqEnnyyid1TJIrTI8QpLAHp1/s320/DSC_0442+2.jpeg) |
'Earth Angel' was heavenly |
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmvbs9HDHUaHFWrU-NFCDwsyoAEQ3MVqt3NlXWqvr0WL7B9m0F8X4mnsNQ5TCkLcdgnwjnLpi3rgllq8OPLAJ50W6TbhLg0GEoXfRCxsaxzlbYWZpA0tdnvh4brtGc_jz3jLGgZYyl0BNf/s320/DSC_0306.jpg) |
'Vanessa Bell' was another winner |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU24hpBazoC7C2hwq639VqJFatqAElOeJaKm6pwsJDystF8v-HtvYLw_6sCDXKap4i9FSVgQQonFAVaIsb9m6x8US63qKvXCRm5rs589NBn21EU7gIg1FeuzLYv_3Fx0DpO2dedh2d7Rq6/s320/DSC_0192.jpg) |
Clearweeds came out of nowhere and infested the garden |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIpmwT3I4cj5GywIsILTR3rM_XCO3nY97YTAsNhgyyrOvZGXNCAMn3LGFY-lCvfw6E4b37gfWd0OFwBufBXae3wFuavFP669RAOa1d2xUFo0Chu4DTgdyfonOxpzUx5e1KA9B1gsPFF7qn/s320/DSC_0630.jpg) |
We had more bears this summer than ever... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheo_xKWL6t-6ZND2JA0evl71n0_PM9qeYgxavXmCmFOboKcA2-x-5fWdNKvyJwxm1L8PRvc6PUGUs4EHldG7n-bLZQNZ9pFWHWV8JXj-eAeVmm32nB1Bs0LCgHiPHI0P8pRHbbxxgHS9Zl/s320/DSC_0551.jpg) |
...and fewer butterflies. But Woodrow the groundhog was everywhere. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8Q4cvMvAi17pU5pV1lcbuQfQIMop1XttxLOLXHlOBOK9A1XdIBlQGSypY3yE9zmblh3VEFu96EiOa6Xf3nrHg7fthwHlenJ13o84YyFIeUIBi2831PD040yTUVe5AiIx3Snr4YluHJdW/s320/woodchuck-in-grass.jpg) |
Thankfully I am an optimist
by nature and am already am making a list of cool new plants to add next
spring.
As a bonus, I have the
Biltmore International Rose Trials to look forward to beginning Friday. As a
member of the permanent judging panel, I have been evaluating the roses in the
competition for over two years. I can’t wait to see my special rose friends from
across the country and unveil the winners for 2018.
It promises to be the
beginning of a fabulous fall.
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